Do you find drivers are getting increasing impatient and rude, even more than say 10 years ago?

Is is possible you may be driving too slow?

Nope! It’s a general observation. On my way home, a poor guy’s engine went off as the traffic light turned green and the drivers behind him just about killed the man! That and countless other examples!

I personally think there is much more aggression on the highways in modern times. I’m sure this results from many factors—simply more people on the road than 20 years ago; the introduction of cell phones; “bad news” abounding; etc., etc.

I would very much like to have all drivers recalled and given a new battery of tests before releasing them to the highways again. Overnight, of course ;-)

I would have to agree because I’m one of the aggressive drivers. I have to concentrate and focus on my breathing when driving now. It’s not because I’m angry, it’s because I carry a great deal of respect for others, but when I’m cut off (especially with out at least signaling!) the Hulk comes out. (I’m working on it). But yes I don’t think the highWAY patrol in California does enough. Our speed limit is 65mph. It’s not extraordinary to have someone driving 50 in the slow lane and 80–90mph in the fast lane. I think drivers were equally as crazy back then but I’d say with the economy the way it is, tempers are just walking on thin ice! I think a lot faster cars are more affordable now.

I think it’s always been like this, since I’ve been driving anyway. I work at one of the busiest intersections in town and see fights, people slamming into each other, and fingers flying, wrecks, police action, all kinds of stuff, people are just nuts and have no patience.

@KNOWITALL WOwzers! What town? LAX in Los Angeles?

I’ve been noticing a phenomenon that’s related, I think: It used to be pretty standard protocol for drivers to thank you when you extended some courtesy to them, usually by a quick wave of the hand. I hardly ever see that anymore. That’s such a little thing, but it’s a troubling sign to me. We seem to be forgetting the art of civility.

Cars are much different now. Stock high compression engines that can get from 0 to 60 in less than 3 seconds, modern suspension systems allow high speed cornering and weaving. The drivers have always been territorial, but I think they’ve also become more aggressive due to denser traffic on the roads and their new abilities to carry out their aggression. I’ve noticed it. With the advances in auto technology, it has gotten much scarier. And now since the Fast & Furious thing hit, there are trains of kids purposely risking life and limb at high speed weaving in heavy traffic. Try high speed freeway weaving in a ‘68 Camaro. RIP, man. And gliding… keereist.

There was an interesting, but short, hiatus right after 9/11. It seemed everyone was on their best behavior for a couple of weeks… giving the right of way, thanking other drivers for their courtesies, less aggression… then back to normal. It’s a bitch out there. I find driving a convertible relaxing, even in rush hour. They are a pleasure to drive, especially out in the country—Well worth the little extra money and the attention it might get. I’ve learned to ignore the assholes. I’ve seen enough carnage to know where driver anger can lead.

@pleiades Springfield, Missouri. It’s a college town where I work, but I live outside the city.

I’ve been witness to accidents while I was reading in my car at least three times for Lords sakes.

If you were on my fb, you could see what happened right after work on Friday- this woman almost drove into the front of our office and swerved at the last minute. She had 4 empty bottles of Wild Turkey in her passenger seat, 30 yrs old, and it was like 6pm.

@thorninmud The truckers and I use our lights to be polite and say thank you. They rock, most of the time.

I don’t see this locally. I don’t get out much beyond my local area, so I can’t really answer for other places.

I think that driver’s nowadays seen to roll through stop signs faster than in the past. Drivers seem to treat stop signs more like yield signs. After all the only time drivers come to a full and complete stop at stop signs is when vehicles with the right away are already there (or a cop is right there). Does this mean that I think that drivers are more impatient? Yes but there seems to be the same number of a-holes driving as ever before. HA!

I definitely think the generalization can be made that drivers are ruder and more impatient than they used to be, and some of that can be traced directly to mobile calling and texting. For example, you’re sitting behind some dude on the phone and the light changes and he just sits there, yacking or texting away. You get irritated and honk and he looks back at you like you’re the jerk.

Another example: the driver on your right is so involved in a phone conversation or texting that he begins drifting into your lane. You swerve into the lane on your left and, if you’re lucky, only piss off a driver in that lane rather than hit him.

Yes, we’ve always had these kind of problems on the road, but I agree with @ZEPHYRA, they’re getting worse. And I’ve been driving a verrrrrrrry long time.

No, there’s always been motoring morons, it’s just there’s so many more of the fuckers.

Fluthering while driving here… I dunno… It seems like people are actually nicer to one another knowing everyone is ha…

“Hey FUCK YOU buddy! Stay in your lane!”

…ving such a hard time in the economy together. It’s nice to see folks come together with compassion for one ano…

“Get OFF the ROAD GrandPa!”

…ther other. Gives me great hope for the future of humanity for my children. Makes me think I didn’t leave such a bad place for them aft…

“Do your makeup at home BITCH!”

…er all.

Do you know that feeling where you’re in a pretty big group, a fairly baseline and simple goal is set, and everybody seems to be wanting to go in a different direction to get the job accomplished? You might think that the group is too large for such a project, or whatever. You know when you have that awesome idea, and it’s a little complicated, and it’ll take some explaining and convincing to get the idea accepted? Aren’t you getting frustrated? Your idea is obviously the best one, that asshole just needs to shut his trap for, like, ten fucking seconds. No, he’s giving everyone the wrong idea. No, you can’t manipulate those charts like that—or at least I’m not sure… Dude, why won’t you just listen to what I have to say? OK, thank you, thank GOD, ok -Here’s what needs to be settled on. This doodad just needs to be thingamabob’ed an—NO, I already TOLD you that can’t be done! Why do you think, after I told you three times, that could possibly work in this situation? But that’s not something we can afford in the first place. Hey, dude, man he—SHUT THE FUCK UP AND LISTEN

See how easy that is?

It seems to me everyone is getting more impatient and rude! I always drive a little over the speed limit but that doesn’t seem fast enough for many. I often wonder how I would feel if some idiot kills himself trying to pass me in an unsafe location, and I am sure I would feel hellish but I am not going to risk my life so same idiot can get to the next stop light a nano second sooner!

I base the level of civility on the “Wave Principle”; that is how many people wave as you go down the road. Do they initiate it? Do they respond when you do?
And sad to say, based on this, the Texas backcountryside is decidedly less friendly that it was ten years ago.

@rojo I grew up in urban Texas, and when I first spent some time on the back roads in out in “real” Texas, I was enchanted by how everyone would wave to drivers coming from the opposite direction, typically just popping a couple of fingers up from the steering wheel. That was a long time ago, and I’ve wondered whether folks still do that down there. I guess you’ve answered my question.

@thorninmud it still happens, it is just so much less frequent. Could be because we are moving at such a faster pace these days both actually and metaphorically. Could be because folks are a lot more wary, or self-centered or self-absorbed or…..

Sometimes when bored I count them “Hey honey, I’m six for thirty!” and such. I can remember when it was the other way ‘round.

@rojo – that is interesting. I grew up on east coast USA, more north than south and I don’t remember waving at other cars. But here in Australia, as soon as you get out in the bush where you may not meet another car for hours, the wave is definitely still here. I think we get so excited to see something other than roos, emus, cows and the occasional camel, you just have to wave to say g’day.

I have noted that any two oncoming motorcyclists will invariably drop their left hand to each other in a friendly gesture. This is not quite, but almost, ubiquitous around here. Have you noticed it in Australia?

@thorninmud sometimes the two fingers and sometimes just the headnod. And the nod is in an upward direction unless they are wearing a hat, in which case it is downward as if they are touching the front of the brim.

I ride a Yamaha BiWi Scooter which is a really cool looking, rough and tough scooter but still not quite considered a “real” motorcycle by the big bikers, so nobody waves to me!!! But maybe they wave to each other, I’m not sure???

No, but using the turn signal is disappearing.